Who is the greatest athlete that ever lived?

I know there are more but I found these players to be the greatest in each of their sports.

jim thorpe!

jim thorpe!

BobC

 definitely

Here is a better list:

- Bo Jackson
- Joe DiMaggio
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Walter Payton
- Wayne Gretzky

Many of the people you listed are pop-culture icons, not "greatest athlete" lol. For example, Michael Jordan, while insanely great, was definitely not the best even in basketball, and Ruth is great too but he just broke the faux pas of baseball (bad to hit home runs), and when Maris broke his record they had t o put an asterisk next to his record to still make Ruth look the best. That's marketing, not athleticism.

I have to say Deion Sanders even though I don't like him.

jim thorpe!

BobC

I second that nomination! Dude was a pro athlete in Baseball, football, and basketball and won gold medals in the olympics!!! He also played lacrosse and some other stuff!!! The dude was a one man team!!! So I would have to say he was the greatest overall athlete because he could do anything and do it at a high level! 

Here is a better list:

- Bo Jackson
- Joe DiMaggio
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Walter Payton
- Wayne Gretzky

Many of the people you listed are pop-culture icons, not "greatest athlete" lol. For example, Michael Jordan, while insanely great, was definitely not the best even in basketball, and Ruth is great too but he just broke the faux pas of baseball (bad to hit home runs), and when Maris broke his record they had t o put an asterisk next to his record to still make Ruth look the best. That's marketing, not athleticism.

AHUGECAT

Your list is okay but I think Jim Brown should easily replace Walter Payton (even though Walter is one of my FAVE football players) and Joe DiMaggio wasn't even the greatest player off of the Yankees!!! I also have to say that Wilt the Stilt could be replaced by quite a few bball players. Don't even get me started on the fact that your list doesn't include the best overall athlete ever in Jim Thorpe. The man was a pro in three different sports and has olympic gold medals man!!!

Here is the Webster's Dictionary definition of "athlete" : a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

You should note that it says exercises, sports, or games! They are all plural meaning more than just one!!! He was a stud in three sports as well as two different olympic events!!! He also played lacrosse and could ball room dance!!! You don't get to be much more of an athlete than Jim Thorpe! 

[QUOTE="AHUGECAT"]

Here is a better list:

- Bo Jackson
- Joe DiMaggio
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Walter Payton
- Wayne Gretzky

Many of the people you listed are pop-culture icons, not "greatest athlete" lol. For example, Michael Jordan, while insanely great, was definitely not the best even in basketball, and Ruth is great too but he just broke the faux pas of baseball (bad to hit home runs), and when Maris broke his record they had t o put an asterisk next to his record to still make Ruth look the best. That's marketing, not athleticism.

nickdastick

Your list is okay but I think Jim Brown should easily replace Walter Payton (even though Walter is one of my FAVE football players) and Joe DiMaggio wasn't even the greatest player off of the Yankees!!! I also have to say that Wilt the Stilt could be replaced by quite a few bball players. Don't even get me started on the fact that your list doesn't include the best overall athlete ever in Jim Thorpe. The man was a pro in three different sports and has olympic gold medals man!!!

Here is the Webster's Dictionary definition of "athlete" : a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

You should note that it says exercises, sports, or games! They are all plural meaning more than just one!!! He was a stud in three sports as well as two different olympic events!!! He also played lacrosse and could ball room dance!!! You don't get to be much more of an athlete than Jim Thorpe! 

You're right... I should've included Jim. The OP should take out MJ (lol he sucked at baseball and sucks at golf but he rocks at basketball) and put in Thorpe or Bo Jackson or Payton (or Brown).

[QUOTE="nickdastick"][QUOTE="AHUGECAT"]

Here is a better list:

- Bo Jackson
- Joe DiMaggio
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Walter Payton
- Wayne Gretzky

Many of the people you listed are pop-culture icons, not "greatest athlete" lol. For example, Michael Jordan, while insanely great, was definitely not the best even in basketball, and Ruth is great too but he just broke the faux pas of baseball (bad to hit home runs), and when Maris broke his record they had t o put an asterisk next to his record to still make Ruth look the best. That's marketing, not athleticism.

AHUGECAT

Your list is okay but I think Jim Brown should easily replace Walter Payton (even though Walter is one of my FAVE football players) and Joe DiMaggio wasn't even the greatest player off of the Yankees!!! I also have to say that Wilt the Stilt could be replaced by quite a few bball players. Don't even get me started on the fact that your list doesn't include the best overall athlete ever in Jim Thorpe. The man was a pro in three different sports and has olympic gold medals man!!!

Here is the Webster's Dictionary definition of "athlete" : a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

You should note that it says exercises, sports, or games! They are all plural meaning more than just one!!! He was a stud in three sports as well as two different olympic events!!! He also played lacrosse and could ball room dance!!! You don't get to be much more of an athlete than Jim Thorpe!

You're right... I should've included Jim. The OP should take out MJ (lol he sucked at baseball and sucks at golf but he rocks at basketball) and put in Thorpe or Bo Jackson or Payton (or Brown).

Yeah, Bo Jackson would give Thorpe a run for his money I'm sure. That guy was an amazing athlete! If he would have played a full career in baseball and football he would probably be above Thorpe easy!!! I think the only problem these threads have is that most people aren't thinking about what the term "athlete" means. I know all those guys were great with their sport but most of them were one dimensional. Bo and Thorpe are really the only two guys that weren't  (Neon Deon was a stud but I think Bo beats him out easy as does Thorpe) just one sport athletes and Thorpe really should carry the title of great ATHLETE because he proved that he could do it all because he DID do it all. I do really like the conversations this is bringing up though because it's something most people don't really think about too often. Shoot, the only reason I know about Jim Thorpe is because of my grandpa. If he hadn't told me about him I wouldn't have had any idea about him! That's how long ago that guy was around dominating!!! You should go to wikpedia and check out his page. He played in a football game where he scored every point because he played so many positions! They won the game too and his college team beat a lot of old school powerhouses. It's really interesting. 

[QUOTE="AHUGECAT"][QUOTE="nickdastick"][QUOTE="AHUGECAT"]

Here is a better list:

- Bo Jackson
- Joe DiMaggio
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Walter Payton
- Wayne Gretzky

Many of the people you listed are pop-culture icons, not "greatest athlete" lol. For example, Michael Jordan, while insanely great, was definitely not the best even in basketball, and Ruth is great too but he just broke the faux pas of baseball (bad to hit home runs), and when Maris broke his record they had t o put an asterisk next to his record to still make Ruth look the best. That's marketing, not athleticism.

nickdastick

Your list is okay but I think Jim Brown should easily replace Walter Payton (even though Walter is one of my FAVE football players) and Joe DiMaggio wasn't even the greatest player off of the Yankees!!! I also have to say that Wilt the Stilt could be replaced by quite a few bball players. Don't even get me started on the fact that your list doesn't include the best overall athlete ever in Jim Thorpe. The man was a pro in three different sports and has olympic gold medals man!!!

Here is the Webster's Dictionary definition of "athlete" : a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina

You should note that it says exercises, sports, or games! They are all plural meaning more than just one!!! He was a stud in three sports as well as two different olympic events!!! He also played lacrosse and could ball room dance!!! You don't get to be much more of an athlete than Jim Thorpe!

You're right... I should've included Jim. The OP should take out MJ (lol he sucked at baseball and sucks at golf but he rocks at basketball) and put in Thorpe or Bo Jackson or Payton (or Brown).

Yeah, Bo Jackson would give Thorpe a run for his money I'm sure. That guy was an amazing athlete! If he would have played a full career in baseball and football he would probably be above Thorpe easy!!! I think the only problem these threads have is that most people aren't thinking about what the term "athlete" means. I know all those guys were great with their sport but most of them were one dimensional. Bo and Thorpe are really the only two guys that weren't  (Neon Deon was a stud but I think Bo beats him out easy as does Thorpe) just one sport athletes and Thorpe really should carry the title of great ATHLETE because he proved that he could do it all because he DID do it all. I do really like the conversations this is bringing up though because it's something most people don't really think about too often. Shoot, the only reason I know about Jim Thorpe is because of my grandpa. If he hadn't told me about him I wouldn't have had any idea about him! That's how long ago that guy was around dominating!!! You should go to wikpedia and check out his page. He played in a football game where he scored every point because he played so many positions! They won the game too and his college team beat a lot of old school powerhouses. It's really interesting. 

I think we need to have a criteria for "the best..." if "the best" you mean by most championships (which I think is stupid to judge an athlete), then Russell would be above Jordan. If "best" you mean the best stats, then Grestzky and Chamberlain belong on the list. If "best" you mean domination, then Barry Bonds or DiMaggio, Brown or Payton should be on there. There is no real "best," it's all opinion when it comes down to it.

I looked up Thorpe and his is a featured article lol. Yeah I'd put him on the list.

Being an Aussie and only 19 I never was able to watch a huge amount of MJ but what i did/have seen and his stats speak for themselves. I'm not the biggest fan of B-Ball- I like many other sports more including soccer, afl, athletics, etc. But what he could do was awesome. Also tiger woods gets beaten regulary MJ didn't.
Gods_Son23

lol MJ got beaten regulary until the league got weak. Heck Boston and Detroit annihilated him until the early 90's.

Jonah Lomu. Think about a guy the size of a linebacker who can run as fast as a wide reciever, pass like a QB and kick like a punter.pundog

I agree with that 

I would say none of those people are

I would say bo jackson because he was good at more than one sport.

pele is more famous than all the players too.

I said Joe DiMaggio for Baseball earlier

Pete Maravich for Basket Ball 

Steven Gerrard is the greatest athlete to have lived.

Baseball players arnt atheletes, neither are golf players, for f**k sake.

Steven Gerrard is the greatest athlete to have lived.

Baseball players arnt atheletes, neither are golf players, for f**k sake.

PacmanChampion

Winner of the Most Pointless and Ignorant Sports Post!!! Congrats!!! Next time check the definition of athlete and you'll see why you won this prestigious award!!!

By they way, GREATEST ATHLETEEVER is Jim Thorpe. Look him up.

Babe ruth is freakin fat an athlete also should be fast and have stanima Babe Ruth only has power and there is more important qualities then power in a athlete really it should be stamina and speed. You need speed for every sport and stamina power is also needed but not as important as speed and stamina. I am going to say Pele since that guy truely had everything power, speed, and great stamina and also had great control of the ball.Synchro456

Boy he's huge

[QUOTE="Synchro456"]Babe ruth is freakin fat an athlete also should be fast and have stanima Babe Ruth only has power and there is more important qualities then power in a athlete really it should be stamina and speed. You need speed for every sport and stamina power is also needed but not as important as speed and stamina. I am going to say Pele since that guy truely had everything power, speed, and great stamina and also had great control of the ball.StarFoxCOM

Boy he's huge

True dat! He may have had a bit of a gut but his legs and arms were totally normal! Amazingly enough you don't have to have washboard abs to be quick and/or a good athlete! I have a bit of a gut as well but my arms and legs are nice and hard! You wouldn't believe how many triples and homeruns I get playing softball and how many people are amazed at the fact that I blaze around the bases! Ruth was a stud if he had a stomach on him or not! Plus, the definition of an athlete says nothing about being the fastest guy or being fast at all! It says excelling at a sport or event is what makes you an athlete... Ruth would fall into the category of excelling at baseball sir. End of Story.

Babe Ruth because not only did hit 714 but he also won 100 games as a pitcher.jimmygrace

So? He's not athletic at all

[QUOTE="PacmanChampion"]

Steven Gerrard is the greatest athlete to have lived.

Baseball players arnt atheletes, neither are golf players, for f**k sake.

nickdastick

Winner of the Most Pointless and Ignorant Sports Post!!! Congrats!!! Next time check the definition of athlete and you'll see why you won this prestigious award!!!

By they way, GREATEST ATHLETEEVER is Jim Thorpe. Look him up.

[QUOTE="Gods_Son23"]Being an Aussie and only 19 I never was able to watch a huge amount of MJ but what i did/have seen and his stats speak for themselves. I'm not the biggest fan of B-Ball- I like many other sports more including soccer, afl, athletics, etc. But what he could do was awesome. Also tiger woods gets beaten regulary MJ didn't.
AHUGECAT

lol MJ got beaten regulary until the league got weak. Heck Boston and Detroit annihilated him until the early 90's.

What are you talking about?  The league didn't get weak.  And the only reason he got beat was because he was still young and didn't pass the ball as much.  But how can you say the league became weak.  Penny Hardaway and Shaq, Karl Malone and Stockton, Barkley, and a lot of other great players that were a challenge to Micheal Jordan and his team.  Also Detroit had their stupid Jordan rules and kept Jordan from dominating the game by fouling as hard as they could so that wasn't fair for the Bulls.